In 2012, Cairo’s shuffling Agouza district gave birth to one of the most hypnotic trios to emerge from Egypt’s alternative scene – The Dwarfs of East Agouza. The trio’s instrumental improvisation-based explorations have since been propelled by North African percussion loops and quivering keys, West African tinged free jazz guitar, and grounded by driving Krautrock-style […]
As part of MARSM’s spring programme, we are showcasing the enduring legacy and spirit of Sufi music, a spiritual branch within Islam that ascertains the nature of humanity and God, and the presence of divine love in the world. Through this newly commissioned concert, audiences will see the mesmerising character of Sufi musical performance and […]
Master instrumentalists from Iraq, Pakistan and Spain come together for a mesmerising performance of oud, Flamenco guitar, tabla and sitar. Naseer Shamma is one of the world’s pre-eminent oud players and composers – revered both in his home country of Iraq and worldwide, he was recently named a UNESCO Artist for Peace. For Spirits he brings with him […]
Announcing their UK tour, Lebanese indie-pop sensation Mashrou’ Leila will be returning for their highly anticipated 3-city tour in 2019. MAR 07 | LONDON – Roundhouse | TICKETS MAR 09 | MANCHESTER – Gorilla | TICKETS MAR 10| GLASGOW – Oran Mor | TICKETS Born of a nocturnal encounter at the American University of Beirut in 2008, Mashrou’ Leila […]
Journeying through the fascinating and bass-heavy musical landscape of the Middle East’s burgeoning electronic music scenes, Hishek Bishek has emerged to become London’s most pulsing Arabic Electronic party. From cutting-edge releases to bootleg wedding recordings, killer Mahraganat tracks and hypnotic Dabke remixes from the Levant, Hishek Bishek is back at Electrowerkz for a night of […]
Coming to London this June… Lebanese singer-songwriter Yasmine Hamdan is one of the most groundbreaking musicians in the Middle East, thanks in part to her work in the electronic indie band Soapkills, and to her solo music which has become the soundtrack to the vibrant, young arts scene which developed in postwar Lebanon. Her solo […]
Hailed as the “new Sayed Darwish”, Hamza Namira is one of the most celebrated faces of modern Arabic music. A songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist from Egypt, Hamza has become a luminous expression of his homeland’s resilience and ambition. Emerging as a major public figure, most notably since the Egyptian revolution of 2011, he uses his […]
Hailed as “revolutionary” and “powerfully atmospheric” by Songlines magazine, Oxford Maqam‘s stunning renditions pay an influential homage to Egypt’s early musical theatre and the creative and stylistic developments of the ‘Nahda’ Era, the Renaissance of the Arab world. In this concert, the UK’s premier Arabic ensemble returns to London’s Brunei Gallery in what is their […]
Double Bill: Lekhfa & Tamer Nafar (from DAM) Alternative Egyptian Electronic meets Palestinian Hip Hop MARSM presents a captivating double-bill of some of the Middle East’s most trailblazing alternative musicians. From dystopian poetry to bass-heavy hip-hop beats and stripped down Egyptian dance tracks, this show celebrates the contemporary musical projects making headlines and pushing the […]
Now moved to the Kazimier Gardens, MARSM and LAAF (Liverpool Arab Arts Festival) present a captivating free concert by Lekhfa, one of the most enticing musical projects that’s pushing the boundaries of Egypt’s burgeoning underground music scene. This is your chance to see three of the biggest names in the alternative arabic music scene perform on one stage, […]